He also commended Nana Akufo-Addo, who was the 2012 Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for choosing not to seek a review of the judgment; a move the Sheikh said would strengthen the peace of the country to the admiration of the international community.
The Chief Imam was at Nana Akufo-Addo's Nima residence in Accra Monday
to reciprocate a visit the former paid him prior to petitioning the
court on the 2012 elections and also to praise him for accepting the
judgment.
Last Thursday, the nine-member Supreme Court panel, presided over by
Justice William Atuguba, upheld President John Dramani Mahama's as the
validly President of the Republic of Ghana.
By that decision, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition filed by the
Nana Akufo-Addo, his running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Mr Jake Otanka
Obetsebi-Lamptey who is the National Chairman of the NPP.
According to the Chief Imam, Nana Akufo-Addo by exhibiting that
courageous act, showed the entire world that although he wanted to be
president of Ghana, he had at all times had the unity and peace of the
nation at heart.
Sheikh Sharubutu gave thanks to Allah for granting Ghanaians the peace
they have always sought and asked the citizenry not to cease thanking
Allah for protecting Ghana.
He quoted Quran Chapter 14 verse 7 which states. "And
[remember] when your Lord Proclaimed.’If you are grateful. I
will surely increase you [in favour]: but if you deny, indeed my
punishment is severe.”
For his part, Nana Akufo-Addo said the serene atmosphere that had
pertained in the country after the judgment was the desire of the people
of Ghana to show that "we are once again the black star of this
continent”.
He said with their confidence in the rule of law and the institutions of
state, Ghanaians would remain peaceful, accept the judgment and serve
as a shining example to the rest of the African continent.
The NPP leader pointed out that the reason behind his decision to accept
the judgment immediately after the Supreme Court had pronounced it, was
to set a good example for Ghanaians, especially the youth.
Nana Akufo-Addo added that coming from a home which formed part of the
traditions that pioneered Ghanaian's independence struggle also formed
the basis for his decision to always put the interest of the nation
first.
He said he also accepted the judgment to fulfill a promise he made to
the Chief Imam in that regard, "...In all humility, you are someone I
consider as my father and I will never go back on a promise I made to
you.”
"l wanted a peaceful resolution of the matter that was why we went to
court. We also wanted to prove to the world that Ghana is
different from many other countries. I cannot lie to you.
God will not forgive me. if I did that”, Akufo-Addo
told the Chief Imam.
He said as a lawyer, he was aware that when law courts decide on cases, there was the likelihood that one would lose or win.
Source: Daily Graphic
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